MythBusters: 'Using your head is a lot of fun'

Can a lead balloon fly? Can tooth fillings pick up radio stations? Each week millions watch Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, aka the MythBusters, test urban legends on their Discovery Channel TV show. Peter Aldhous joined them on set in San Francisco to find out how these special-effects wizards became standard-bearers for TV science

Which of the myths you've worked on have given you the most satisfaction?

Jamie Hyneman: A favourite is when we investigated whether a lead balloon can fly. Think about what it takes to build a bag out of lead that's 0.007 of an inch (0.2 millimetres) thick, weighs 28 pounds and is 14 feet across. What we had to go through to where it actually floated with helium was just thrilling.

Adam Savage: Another time we wanted to know whether a penny dropped from the Empire State Building ...

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